


Don't Stop Me Now

by RainyTazmily



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Mother 3, Super Smash Brothers
Genre: F/M, M/M, what tags lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26924035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainyTazmily/pseuds/RainyTazmily
Summary: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Mom asks.Ness ends up leaving that question blank.An AU in which Ness flounders through the aftermath of Earthbound and fights for his place in life. He makes mistakes along the way, but he's bound to pick himself back up. Somehow. Earthbound/Mother 3, Ness/Paula, Ness/Lucas, somewhat canon-compliant.
Relationships: Lucas (Mother 3)/Ness (Mother 2), Paula Jones/Ness
Comments: 15
Kudos: 18





	1. Defying Gravity

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello! It's been a while since I last clicked that New Story tab (＠´ー`)ﾉﾞ
> 
> For the past year or so, I've juggled several plot bunnies for promising fics, before one finally inspired me to write an actual chapter. After much thought, though I have two ongoing longfics, I decided to publish a third. My current plan is to finish Through Thick and Thin, and work on this fic as I finish up For the Power of Love.
> 
> I used Queen's Don't Stop Me Now as an inspiration, and it fit, so the placeholder name stays. For now.
> 
> Just a fair warning: Similarly to my other fics, I'm entering this story blind. Though I have a vague idea of what I want to cover, my projected ships will probably remain as is (Ness/Paula, Ness/Lucas, etc.). Maybe. I'm experimenting around :) So if ships seriously matter to you to the point of life and death, and FuelxOrange Kid is your OTP or whatever, this fic probably won't be your favorite.
> 
> Four years ago, I would've laughed at the thought of writing another romance (I know right fuck me), but I was surprised when many of you enjoyed Through Thick and Thin, and after 4 years and 300k of writing a damn pair, I like to think I can do another plot some justice :)
> 
> Thank you for your support!

**BEFORE YOU READ ON, THIS FIC HAS THE FOLLOWING: **

**\- Third Person POV**

**\- Crude language**

**\- Coming-of-age romance, but more a coming-of-age story**

**\- Dark elements and real world problems(?)**

**\- This is a Work In Progress. I like to re-tailor inconsistencies until I'm satisfied with my own quality.**

**Have fun. :^)**

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter One**_ ~

**_Defying Gravity_ **

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* * *

_Dream big._

Ness lives by those words. At the age of seven, when Pokey Minch dragged him up the tallest hill in Onett, all the while bragging about how rich the Minch family was and how most of the land in town belonged to his wealthy father, Ness decides to be a race car driver. If he were fast enough, he could do anything he wanted. He could visit his father at work, play baseball with his sister, and _still_ have enough time to return home to hug his mother. Dad was always busy, and never swung by anymore, so Ness decided he could do the traveling for him.

In school, he's pretty average in terms of his grades. He does enough to scrape by, just enough to pass his classes, but school doesn't hold his interest. Half the time, he spends school staring out the window from his seat. The only class he likes is PE, and that's only if the teacher lets them play outside. The only other thing that he likes just as much, aside from fast cars and toy wheels, is baseball.

His mom worries. She worries a lot, after dad got a new job away from home. Ness wants to tell her not to worry, because he'll be a race car driver one day and drive her to see dad, because mom misses dad too, but his mom worries about _his_ future.

It makes sense, Ness supposes. Tracy's the smart one. She gets all As. Ness is lucky if he gets anything above a B in his report card. Usually his report card's got a healthy dab of Cs. Like a salad. He's even overheard one of the older college kids downtown saying, "Cs get degrees," and tries to reassure his mom, but it doesn't make his mom any more relieved.

His grades don't get any better. Halfway through middle school, after watching his favorite team win LIVE on TV, Ness decides he wants to be a famous baseball player instead. A professional athlete.

Mom entertains his ambitious dreams until Ness turns twelve. A year or two before high school, when Ness feels stumped over the bolded _Career Choice?_ question, Mom sits him down at the dinner table, and talks him through it. With their finances and Father's debt to Aloysius Minch, sending Ness to a prestigious sports camp isn't an option, and most athletes start competing at a young age. Ness is young, but not _that_ young, and while Ness knows this deep down, it still stings when his mom tries to crush his dreams.

 _"What do you want to be when you grow up?"_ Mom asks.

Ness ends up leaving that question blank.

As a kid, he's bored. Nothing changes in Onett. Ness likes the outside, but he's impatient, hungry to explore more, and Onett's a sleepy old hick town. There's got to be something more. Ness sucks at school, but he knows his strengths, and he knows that he can make his mark on the world.

Then under the darkness of night, a meteor crashes into his town in 199X.

And slipping out of bed, Ness knew he was gonna chase after that adventure.

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~oO0Oo~

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Ness gets his wish. In a way.

The adventure isn't what he expects.

He's the Chosen Boy. Buzz Buzz the timetraveler tells Ness of his fate to defeat Giygas.

In bitter tears, Pokey abandons him. Spitting on their friendship, he leaves Ness alone with the memory of Buzz Buzz dying in his hands.

Right off the bat, Ness fights alone. First, it's against stray dogs that growl and threaten to bite off his legs. Then crows that try to peck out his eyes. Ness makes a resolve to leave home for good, to be strong and brave like the cool batters on TV, but quickly, he finds that he visits home more than usual for a boy his age. He's embarrassed, but his mom doesn't seem to mind. She welcomes him back like any ordinary day after school, sets a warm plate of his favorite food on the table, and asks if he wants to talk about anything. She purses her lips when he says no, but doesn't push the matter.

Then Ness starts fighting against _people_. Delinquents who want to bust his kneecaps. Deranged cultists who want to sacrifice his entrails and paint him blue. After a nasty encounter with the Onett Police, his mom finally puts her foot down. Ness's school has called home about his week-long absence, and Mom asks him to stay home. _It's too dangerous,_ she says.

They have a row.

She calls him a troublemaker.

That's the first night Ness spends in the local hotel. A part of him still misses his mom, so Ness calls his dad instead, but Dad is too busy to talk.

Feeling small and alone, Ness pulls the covers over his head and tries to sleep.

Nothing about this trip has been easy to start off with, but sometimes Ness wonders if Buzz Buzz made a mistake and got the wrong boy. Fighting an alien menace seems almost impossible.

But things grow better. For the first time since Buzz Buzz, Ness finds someone else just like him, someone with strange powers and hands that can spark and pop with magic. Paula makes the nights in hotels a bit brighter. A social butterfly himself, Ness forgot what it felt like to have a friend in the journey, and lying in their separate beds cracking stupid jokes with Paula until their laughter fades into whispered ' _goodnights,_ " Ness finds sleep easily. Someone in the other bed just feels right.

Soon, Jeff and Poo join the party. The hotel rooms gradually grow more crowded with four of them, but this puts Ness's mind at ease. In stark contrast, Pokey was clingy, often complaining that Ness didn't care about him and demanding Ness to do _this,_ to do _that._ He had never let Ness have other friends, often hanging his dad's debt over his head if necessary.

But his new friends aren't like that. Ness doesn't have to tread carefully around them. Poo doesn't like pillows, and refuses to sleep on anything except for the floor. Jeff rarely sleeps at all. Paula wakes easily; though she could sleep through a fire alarm, she's surprisingly sensitive to light. They're all different, but Ness feels like he can be himself, and revels in the freedom. He makes sure Poo has enough sheets under him to sleep with, reminds Jeff to nap every break they take from a hike, perfects a silent tip-toe whenever he has to sneak to the bathroom past Paula's bed at night. They all look after each other, like a second family, and Ness doesn't feel too lonely anymore. With time, even his mom warms up to his sudden departure, hearing of his accomplishments on the papers and the like.

"Stay safe," she says, sounding far away. Mom stays cheerful on the phone for his sake, but Ness can still tell she's sad. He wonders if she regrets that last fight with him as well.

Ness misses her too.

Even so, the adventure's not all fun and games. Paula gets kidnapped a second time in the Fourside Department Store. Poo is forced to leave midway to complete his training. Tony gets taken hostage. All of those hit hard, but when Jeff spots Tony's limp body floating in its giant test-tube cell, along with the rest of Giygas's captives, Ness doesn't think he's ever seen Jeff look so distraught before. At least, not since the first time he met Dr. Andonuts, and watched the man say _nothing_ to his son aside from confessing that Jeff wet his bed.

They defeat the Starman Deluxe underneath Stonehenge, and rescue Tony and others. Caught in the moment, Tony confesses to Jeff, and Jeff declines on the spot, saying his mission was priority. Tony leaves. Ness remembers that being an awkward return trip to the surface.

When the whole adventure is over, checking out of his robot form, Ness collapses into the grass worse for wear. None of them escaped the ordeal unscathed. Poo's out cold, having sacrificed himself for a blow meant for Ness. Paula's got a limp, and the last intact lens of Jeff's glasses has been shattered - the other, neglected for _days._ Despite Jeff's protests, Ness makes a mental note to buy him a new set of glasses. He's not sure if the Hospital sells the right prescription, but Ness has money, and money loosens tongues.

It's over. Giygas is gone.

...Pokey's gone.

There's an ache in his chest. Ness has his regrets, but he's in no state to think, and too mentally exhausted to entertain them.

Ness misses his mom. He misses home.

But glancing at his friends, Ness knows he's not alone. And that this time, it's different. He's got three friends who'll fight with him, three friends he'll fight _for._ If not anything else, Ness wanted to make a better world for them. For Tracy. For his mom.

This adventure was worth it.

It's this thought above anything else that forces him back onto his aching feet, stumbling over to catch a swaying Paula.

The next few months pass in a blur. Poo leaves for Dalaam because of his father's failing health, but promises to keep in touch. Jeff stays in Saturn Valley in a futile attempt to bury himself into his work and avoid his shame. In turn, Ness tells Poo to call him if he needed extra healing power, and to keep kicking ass, to which Poo agrees to quote-un-quote, "kick many butts." Ness also tells Jeff that he loves him (kind of gay, but whatever- Ness figures that if he could save the world, he could tell both of his best friends that he loves them, and Jeff needs those words anyway), and he tells Jeff he can't hide from Tony forever. Whether Jeff hears the latter, Ness is unsure, because Jeff proceeds to bury his head into the SkyRunner and clangs his tools loudly, the back of his ears red, but Ness thinks he gets the message.

He doesn't tell Paula he loves her though. That would be weird.

So Ness walks Paula home to Twoson. Paula's parents sob over their daughter (Mr. Polestar sobs the loudest, much to Ness's amusement), and when Paula tries to console them, they sob harder and drag Ness into their bone-crushing group hug.

The press calls him a hero. Mayor Pirkle suddenly wants to shake his hand, and hands him the keys to Onett. The school clears Ness's absentee record. Ness privately dreads the thought of returning to school.

But when Ness finally returns home after all the fanfare, and is promptly smothered by his mom and sister at the doorway, he chokes up. Returning home is honestly the best part.

Well, almost the best.

He's an idiot. And it's not until next week he finds out why.

Ness invites Paula on a picnic. The third one since the end of their adventure, the... how many timeth meeting? Ness has lost count. Onett and Twoson are within walking distance, and teleporting only closes the gap.

He's just taken the watercress sandwiches out when Paula says, "Are we dating?"

Ness stares at her. Like an idiot. "...if you wanna," he blurts out, before tugging his cap over his flaming face, mortified.

With an embarrassed groan, Paula buries her face into her hands. Her cheeks turn pink.

At the sight, Ness breaks into a snort, then so does she, and then they're laughing against the grass like two kids with nothing better to do.

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~oO0Oo~

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After saving the world from Giygas, Ness is given a free pass for the rest of the year. Secretly, the best part about the impromptu vacation is dating Paula, though having a free pass out of school _for a whole year_ is a close second. Ness still doesn't know what he wants to do with his life, but hey, he _frickin saved the world_. As far as he's concerned, the world can wait a little while for him.

In the meantime, Ness finds himself in an unexpected predicament.

He doesn't think it's possible to feel more in love.

Ness walks Paula to and from school. He greets her at the end of the day, and they do everything together - flying kites, going to the movies, hopping into the amusement park at Fourside. They forget about the paparazzi though, and eventually have to get more crafty about hiding from them under the public eye. Ness doesn't care much about the fame, doesn't mind signing autographs and helping more people. He doesn't mind flaunting their relationship to the press (because really, he's so happy and so in love like one of those heroes in the movies who gets the girl in the end, except this is _way_ better because Paula is smart and caring and a thousand times better), but Paula takes him aside to warn him about the paparazzi. She's had experience as Twoson's Golden Girl _before_ the Chosen Four became famous after all.

"You've got to be more careful," Paula says, out of breath from an impressive escapade out of the pizza parlor.

"They just follow us," Ness grins. "How bad could it possibly get?"

It gets bad.

Worse.

It starts with Picky arriving with Pokey's last eulogy for Ness. It's as charming as ever. Silently, Ness adds Pokey's name to his growing list of stalkers.

Then the paparazzi dig through Ness's trash. They take unsolicited pictures of his sister. They tent outside his home - his one safe house from the world. Ness finally snaps when one woman pulls his sister back by the hair for his autograph. The headlines are ugly the next day, and a mortified Ness learns firsthand how fickle fame can be.

He and Paula have a good laugh over it after.

But Paula can't always go on dates, and eventually, when school starts piling more work onto the table, Ness ends up keeping Paula company while she does her homework. She works hard; her parents have hopes that she'll take over the family business, but Paula has tasted freedom during the adventure, and has seen a world outside of Twoson. She decides she wants to be a doctor, and wants the grades for it.

"My parents keep asking me if I don't wanna be a nurse instead," she says, and Ness blinks.

"Do you?"

"I've shadowed a few in town - but I really want to be a doctor."

"You'll be the best doctor _ever,_ in the _world,"_ Ness agrees, and when Paula playfully squishes his cheeks, he laughs.

But Paula's plans for the future have forced Ness to painfully think over his own. No one taught him what saviors did _after_ saving the world. According to the action movies he's watched, all the heroes swoop in to save the day, then live happily ever after, roll credits.

Ness still suffers from nightmares of Giygas. He has supportive friends and family, but feels like he's trapped in Onett again. He's stuck where he first started, with no idea where to go next. _Stagnant_. All the dates with Paula have sped up time, and while he wishes to live in the moment forever, the end of his yearlong break is fast approaching.

Ness knows he has to start high school soon. He wants to drop out.

So he applies his heart out to several sports firms, even a couple professional athlete tournaments in the hopes that his world-saving streak would give him a leg up, but receives only rejection letters in response. _Though we would be honored to take you in, at this time, we regret to inform you that our cutoff age for our Sports Program is 10,_ they say. More flood in, the same week. " _W_ _e regret to inform you that you have not been selected for the Youth League. Although your application met our qualifications, we had no choice but to reject you on grounds of your psychic powers, as they could classify as "performance-enhancement drugs" and would be considered unethical by the Institutional Board of Baseball..."_ If not disqualified by the age cutoff or his psychic powers: " _We regret to inform you that you have not been chosen for the Little League. Our pool this year was especially competitive-"_

Ness tears them into the trash and cries into his pillow.

Paula helps him study over his summer homework, tries to be supportive, but in the end, Ness procrastinates, stubbornly in denial. He's got a week left before school. Plenty of time to do all this homework then.

Instead, Ness checks on Jeff and Poo. He can travel fast, faster than a race car driver now with PK Teleport, but both his trips end in vain. Dalaam's Festival of Silence means that Poo has locked himself up in some cellar with nothing but water for a week, and when Ness arrives at Saturn Valley in a puff of smoke, he finds Jeff gone and a note hastily scribbled in his place. Something about taking care of unfinished business in Winters. Ness hopes Jeff's made amends with Tony.

Two days before the start of school, Ness steadfastly tries to ignore the mountain of homework on his desk. He knows his mom's been giving him the side eye since yesterday, and Paula's refused to go on any dates this week until he finished his summer assignments. _I can cheer you on, I can stay up with you together, but at the end of the day, I can't do the homework for you. It's for your own sake,_ she says.

With a silent apology to Paula (and with no small sense of guilt), Ness ends up lying in bed until he's tired enough to sleep. He gets nightmares that wake him up in cold sweat.

Then his saving grace arrives in the form of a letter in the mail. Too sleep-deprived to pay attention, Ness doesn't realize what he's pulled out of the mailbox until he almost throws the letter away.

His last application letter. All white, stamped with a fancy red seal.

 **From Master Hand,**  
 **Smash Mansion** ,  
 **1999 Nintendo Court, Center of the Universe, Universe No. 42**

Unlike the other rejection letters, this envelope feels heavy and solid in his hands. Like a golden medallion.

Hardly daring to believe, Ness rips the seal open.

It's an invitation to a fighting tourney. And not just _any_ fighting tourney - an interdimensional one. A new one, from the looks of it, but the salary listed on the letter is generous, and the roster, prestigious. Only Twelve of the very best. And though the Host of the tournament is a new face, Master Hand himself is backed by a well-branded video game company.

It's a dream come true.

Ness is ecstatic at the opportunity. Almost tearing the letter from unbridled excitement, he reads through the invitation with his mom. Mom takes some convincing - she's unsure about the legitimacy of the startup tournament, and almost refuses to let Ness go - but when she calls Master Hand, who seems to satisfy all her questions, she relents and gives Ness the _okey._

"Don't be afraid to return home if it's not what you expected," she says, and unable to hide his grin, Ness whoops and runs circles in the living room in celebration.

The choice is obvious.

Clutching the signed letter in hand, Ness teleports to Twoson to deliver the good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References:
> 
> Not too many. The first chapter is my interpretation of the events in Earthbound (albeit a super-condensed summary), and so, is not 100% canon (though this story will be pretty canon compliant). The References so far are EB heavy:
> 
> -In Earthbound, Paula, Jeff, and Poo join Ness in his adventure against Giygas.
> 
> -In Earthbound, Poo is a prince from a faraway country named Dalaam. He is the only member of the party who will gain sufficient PP and HP from rice gruel, brain food, and water only (aside from PSI). Feeding him any western food will only cure his HP by one. At the end of the game, he invites Ness to Dalaam, though here in the story, he leaves because of his father's (His Highness's) health. Similar to his diet restrictions, Poo can only equip certain things, and the Sword of Kings is considered one of the most valuable drops in the game (1/128 chance). He has the ability, Mirror.
> 
> -In Earthbound, Jeff - the son of Dr. Andonuts - goes to a boarding school in Winters with his roommate, Tony. Tony is canonically gay (Word of Creator), and Winters is a country supposedly based on the UK.
> 
> -In Earthbound, after the world is saved, Ness has the option to either walk Paula back to her home, or back to his home. This story assumes the storyline of the former.
> 
> -In the credits of Earthbound, after his own defeat and escape, Porky sends his little brother Picky to deliver a note to Ness. The note reads:
> 
> "Come and get me, loser! Spankety spankety spankety!"


	2. PLAYER ONE, PRESS START

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on Through Thick and Thin, but my creative juice be overflowing ＼(º □ º l|l)/
> 
> To new readers reading one of my longfics: I love writing fics that heavily base off canon, but deviate from it in my own way. This story will be no exception. As for plot, we be making it up as we go. So basically, nothing new (ノ*°▽°*) WE RIDE OR DIE BAYBEE
> 
> Pacing so far might feel a bit fast, but I'm not too concerned. It'll level off around the time of Brawl or so.
> 
> Happy reading!

_Their neighbors are loud._

_Angry._

_Even muffled through two walls and several feet of space, Ness can hear the unhappy couple screaming at each other._ _It usually happens in the evening, when Mom calls them down for dinner. Mom would barely have time to ask, "How was school?" when chaos erupts from the other house._

_The sound of glass shattering pierces the night. A few heavy thuds._

_Lardna shrieks like a banshee. Aloysius bellows like a thunderclap._

_Sometimes, Pokey doesn't show up to school for days. Other times, Pokey shows up with bruises on his arms._ _Once,_ _Ness spots Pokey furiously wiping the tears from his cheeks when his dad calls him a useless pig and spits on his face._

_When Pokey catches Ness staring at school, his face turns red. Pokey threatens to beat him up if Ness ever tattled to the teacher._

_Ness doesn't bring it up._

_Every month or so, Aloysius swings by for Dad's debt. Arriving home from school_ _, Ness hears him before spotting Mom outside at the doorstep._

 _"-your_ _hubby's debt. He still owes me a hundred grand-"_

_"If you want to speak to my husband, I can get you his number-"_

_"Y'know, you're pretty hot," Aloysius interrupts, sliding closer, oblivious to Ness's presence in the front yard. "Hotter than my wife. Lardna's a real piece of work, but say... I'd do anything for you, sweetcheeks-"_

_His mom purses her lips, and Ness recognizes the look. That's the look she gives Ness when Ness is in big trouble. "Maybe you might, but I have standards."_

_Aloysius stares at her. As if taken aback by her gall._

_Then he slaps her._

_Ness sees red._

_He crosses the front lawn in three strides, takes out his baseball bat before Aloysius notices him with a_ _shocked yell-_

_Then Mom plucks Ness off the ground, shoving him indoors and shielding him behind her._

_Aloysius bellows in her face. "What the- Your no-good bastard son nearly killed me!"_

_"He's just a boy-"_

_"Well, control the damn boy, or I'll hike up your husband's interest," he snarls. "You're lucky that I'm so fucking nice. Anyone else would've tripled it on the spot-"  
_

_"Sorry,"_ _Mom murmurs, holding back a struggling Ness._

 _Aloysius straightens his tie._ _"I could've paid off your debt. I could've rescued you from the shithole you live in. But I won't, because your childish brat ruined everything. You're not that hot anyways. Bitch."_

_They watch as the portly man turns on his heel, and stomps importantly back to his own house. When the door to the Minch residence slams shut, Ness falls limp in his mom's arms._

_His throat is dry, but he still manages a whisper. "...Mom?"_

_"It's okay, Mom can handle this," she says, smoothing his hair back and kissing him on the forehead. "You were so brave. Mommy's hero. I'm proud of you."_

_Ness's heart swells._

_But it's not okay. He thinks it was all a dream, but when he wakes up the next morning, Mom's left cheek has swollen purple. When Tracy pesters her about it, Mom laughs and says she slipped and fell down the stairs._

_Mom's bruise lasts over a week._

_Ness doesn't like Aloysius Minch._

* * *

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~ _ **Chapter Two**_ ~

**_PLAYER ONE, PRESS START_ **

**_(alt. Ness's Birthday Wish)_ **

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_Magicant._

_In the swirling confines of his mind,_ _Ness finds his worst Nightmare._ _It takes on his form._

_Left without a choice, Ness fights his double, the "evil inside him," or whatever. He thinks there's some important life lesson to be learned here, but whatever it is goes straight over his head. His evil clone's a tough match, and Ness is more concerned about living to see another day._

_Ness defeats his Nightmare._

_Or so he believes._

_When his adventure ends, Ness wakes again from Giygas's screams. He'd thought he'd never see his Nightmare again, but soon, Ness realizes he's never been so wrong._

_It's only the first of many.  
_

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~oO0Oo~

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N64 is a wake up call.

Ness does his best to prepare in advance. Paula teaches him PK Fire and PK Freeze. On lazy afternoons after school, they practice their spells in her backyard, until Ness loses control over the flow of flames and nearly burns her house down. They stick to private lessons in Lilliput Steps after that.

The last day home, Ness packs his favorite mementos. He pins his lucky Franklin Badge on his hat, slips the Sound Stone in his breast pocket. It keeps his family and friends close to his heart.

Once he leaves for Smash City, Ness knows he can't teleport home. PK Teleport doesn't work for interdimensional travel. Not for the first time that week, Ness wishes he knew 4th Dimension Slip instead.

Master Hand mails him a golden ticket. The grooved label shimmers like a candy wrapper.

 _**SkyTrain Ticket  
Cabin 002  
** _ _**Train No. 199X  
** **METEORITE CRATER STATION**  
_ _**7:00 AM EARTHBOUND CENTRAL TIME (ECT)** _

A magic train station.

Where the Meteorite first landed in Onett.

The day before the flight, Ness races up the tallest hill in Onett. When he arrives, panting for breath at its apex, he finds only disappointment. The old Onett meteorite rests snugly in its crater, humming and glowing like a cozy lava lamp. Desperately, Ness searches behind every nook and cranny, but is left crushed when he finds nothing out of place.

No train, no station.

Stubbornly reminding himself that his flight's tomorrow, not tonight, Ness runs home before his doubts can creep in. He's painfully aware that he's too awake to sleep, but still tries.

Giygas screams in his dreams again.

Jeff struggles to stand. Poo isn't moving. Paula cries for help from someone, anyone.

Deep in his Magicant, Ness curls into a ball and presses his hands over his ears, blocking out the noise of his memories. When he finally cracks open his eyes, he sees a familiar pair of feet. _His_ feet.

Ness looks up.

His Nightmare stares down at him.

Ness wakes in cold sweat.

"What do you mean, _your Nightmare is back?!_ " Paula whispers frantically over the phone, and Ness rubs his eyes, clutching the old rotary dial. His dad, the phone. Insert phone joke here.

"I dunno. It could just be a dream-"

"Except you _swore_ you were back in your Magicant. Ness, I thought you _defeated_ your Nightmare during our journey-"

"I know, I know. But..." A lump forms in Ness's throat. "...I don't think it can disappear for good."

Paula grows more worried. "Are you sure you don't want to stay an extra day? Delay moving in?"

"Nah, it's okay. Just calling you helps. Thanks, Paula," Ness says truthfully, and Paula pours as much good vibes as she can into their psychic link.

Despite Ness's antsy mood, his family and friends surprise him early in the morning. Flopping forlornly into Ness's lap, his lazy dog, King, whines when Ness scratches him behind the ears. His mom kisses Ness _good luck_ on the forehead, and gifts him a new cell so Ness can keep in touch. Having dashed to Onett in her slippers, Paula hugs him goodbye at his doorstep.

"Call me whenever," she whispers into his ear, and Ness kisses her on the cheek.

Then it's Tracy's turn, and when she cries into Ness's shirt, breaking her composure and sniffing that she'll miss him, Ness laughs and promises to call home too. He'll miss his little sister.

"You can make it to the station okay?" His mom asks for the fifth time, worry in her eyes, and Ness grins back, trying to be strong. Deep down, Ness wishes they can all see him off, but knows they've got school, work, or some combination of the two.

So Ness tells them he can make the trip to the station alone. They shower him with a last round of hugs before Ness walks Tracy to school, teleports Paula to her home in Twoson.

Then he's off.

His feet drag up the hill. Each step to the summit is heavy like a barbell. At the last winding turn, Ness braces himself for the worst, heart pounding like a jackhammer, golden ticket tightly clutched in his fist-

And finds himself face-to-face with a train station the size of Mount Olympus.

Overhead, a flying train takes off, whistling into the sky. One moment, it's chugging, _soaring through the clouds_ \- then the next, it's gone, disappearing into a spiraling wormhole. When its happy red caboose sinks into the void, the wormhole blinks out of sight with a comical pop.

Awestruck, Ness lifts his eyes to the sign hanging over the double-doors.

 _**SKYTRAIN STATION  
** _ _**Our Service Is Out Of This World!** _

He rubs his eyes a few times, just to be sure he's not hallucinating.

He's not.

Where there once lay the crashed remains of a magical meteor, now rest the immaculate Roman pillars of a SkyTrain Station. The marble tiles carefully entwine around the famous crater, and even from this distance, Ness can spot a gaggle of tourists clicking their cameras away at the glowing meteorite that started it all.

The meteorite seemed to be winking at him.

Once again, Master Hand has proved himself the Willy Wonka of Miracles.

A cheerful chime. **_"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the SkyTrain Station. Please check the Departures and Arrivals board for your flight._ _Train 199X, Line 2, to Smash City, will depart in fifteen minutes. Thank you, and have a safe flight."_**

Ness feels loads lighter.

Like a giddy kid at a candy store, Ness dashes inside. After a quick ticket check, he clambers aboard, and with a whistle of steam, the SkyTrain chugs into the sky. Face plastered against the window, barely able to stay seated in his cabin, Ness watches as another wormhole blips into existence, swallowing the SkyTrain up in darkness.

As if to offer comfort outside the cabin, a warm glow of fairy lights dots the walkway. Unseen luggage rattles from the overhead carriers.

From time to time, the SkyTrain stops in other worlds. On one particular stop by a series of islands covered in impressive race tracks, a buff middle-aged man wearing a helmet stoops under the doorway like a falcon. Clearly a race car driver, as the man props his briefcase into a luggage carrier, Ness steals a glimpse of another golden ticket in their hand. It flashes with the number _001_.

In a tight navy track suit, the man's got muscles for days. He looks like a Marvel superhero from the comics Ness sneaks into school, the same comics Ness buys with his lunch money.

He's so... _cool_.

Ness openly ogles at him. Catching the look, the man grins and shoots him a thumbs up.

Embarrassed, Ness ducks his head back into his own cabin.

Despite Ness's plans to explore each carriage of the SkyTrain, he ends up wide-eyed at his cabin window, hoping to sightsee other worlds. For the most part though, stops are scarce and few in-between, and soon, when hurtling through an endless void bores Ness out, he naps the rest of the ride.

The next thing Ness knows, he groggily awakes to the chimes of the SkyTrain ( _ **"**_ ** _Train 199X, Line 2, has arrived at Smash City. This is our last stop. Please empty the overhead carriers and bring all your belongings with you. Thank you for choosing the SkyTrain - we hope to fly you again!"_** ). Before the announcements are even over, Ness is already out, clumsily lugging his bag into the glittering Night Life of a true metropolitan.

The sight of Smash City leaves Ness slackjawed.

With pretty streetlamps warming up the horizon, and the highway an infinite blur of light, Smash City outshines Fourside by a ridiculous margin. Several sparkling towers pierce the night sky in unusual shapes, like Tetris pieces. Ness can't stop staring. It's easily the biggest city he's ever seen. He's known how small Onett was, visited Fourside, remembered Mom giving him cautionary tales about cities, but all Ness is left with is wonder.

So _this_ is the city life.

...Wow.

"Hey, kid." Someone taps him on the shoulder, and Ness turns around. It's the cool race car driver from earlier, looking concerned... or at least, Ness thinks he does, under the glare of his racing helmet. Remembering the secluded race car islands, Ness wonders if this man too is from a small town. "Uh... where are your parents?"

Ness tugs out his gold ticket in response. "Not here. I'm here for the tournament."

"You here for the tournament too?" Expecting a whole lecture on wandering off alone, Ness is surprised when relief floods the man's face. "Perfect. I was about to wonder if I just got scammed by this damn- uh, by this blasted Hand," he backtracks quickly when he notices Ness still staring, stuck in a trance of idolatry. With a cough, the man extends his hand. "The name's Falcon. Captain Falcon."

"...Ness." Ness takes the hand. Still staring. Then he blurts out, "Do you own a race car?!"

They share some more small talk. Captain Falcon seems humble and down to earth, and proves to be even more awesome and mysterious, if that's even possible. Sure, he expresses his surprise at Ness's psychic powers, especially when an excited Ness whips out a flame on his finger like a birthday candle, but takes it well in stride. Vaguely reminded of Batman, Ness relaxes in Captain's company as several other gold ticket stragglers awkwardly mingle around the transportation stop.

They don't have to wait long. When a limo longer than a giraffe pulls up, a flustered chauffeur hops out to confirm their names and boarding passes. First one inside, Ness steals the seat nearest to the driver.

"Do you live here?" he blurts out, and the driver chuckles.

"Not at the station, no. Young master, you should see Smash Mansion. Crown Jewel of the City. The tallest skyscraper here, can't miss it."

Even with the driver's words, Ness is shocked by how _huge_ Smash Mansion is. A silhouette that pierces the full moon like a needle, Smash Mansion lies in the heart of the city. With its glittering lobby of chandeliers and glass elevators, the Mansion's somehow bigger on the inside.

Ness is excited. And is ready to puke. Or both.

Heck, even all the windows are perfectly polished, showcasing the best view of the city at every angle. There's not even a speck of dust in sight, so Ness feels bad for trekking dirt all over the carpet, especially when the receptionist gives him the stink-eye.

This whole lobby is cleaner than his _room._

Ness thinks his mom would love the place.

 _"...Ahem,"_ the receptionist coughs when Ness continues loitering in the lobby. "Your license, please."

Face red, Ness snaps his mouth shut, dragging his small suitcase up to the front desk. The impatient receptionist - _a weird elf in a green onesie named "Tingle"_ \- checks Ness in.

Tingle swipes his license card. "Hello, Ness. State your business?"

Ness feels small. "Uh, I-"

He's interrupted by a small _beep_. When Ness's name pops up on the computer screen, Tingle's eyes bug out. In seconds, his frown melts away, replaced by a wide smile that grows from ear to ear. Strongly reminded of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Ness isn't sure if he prefers this change of expression.

"Nevermind, it's all taken care of. Here is your license, and your City ID, Master Ness," Tingle simpers, his voice oozing with eccentricity. He's got a major _suck-up_ vibe, and Ness is reminded of Captain Strong. "Mhmhm... Tuck that ID away, nice and safe. You'll need it for everything here, _oho!_ Beeping yourself into your suite, checking yourself into battles, swiping for meals in our Exclusive Five Star dining hall, and accessing other amenities. Should you lose your keycard, let the head of Security know immediately. Here is your Orientation packet and itinerary for tomorrow, and remember to thank Master Hand for ensuring your invincibility in this dimension-"

 _"Invincibility?"_ Ness sputters. "What invincibility?!"

"Invincibility!" Giddy with excitement, Tingle does a weird wiggle like a worm. Tingle somehow dances worse than Dad, and Ness knows that Dad's a terrible dancer. "Master Ness... so long as you work for Master Hand in this realm, you _will not_ and _cannot_ die from anything, save for old age, who takes all! Now for your room... head to the Tenth Floor Suites. Ring the bell for Room Service! Questions? Comments? Or would you like me to repeat what I've said, _Kooloo limpah?_ "

Tingle's words rattling in his head, a dazed Ness shakes his head.

"Pleasant night to you," Tingle giggles.

Ness's apartment is a roomy single. A living room, a kitchen, a balcony. One bathroom, one bedroom. A rotary phone.

First, Ness dumps off his stuff.

Then out of comfort, he ditches his cell to call Mom on the rotary phone.

His mom sounds tired at work, but relieved that he's arrived safely. Right, twelve hour time zone difference. After a long talk with Mom that leaves Ness happy and relaxed, Ness rummages through his pockets and texts Paula on his new cell.

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 9:32AM  
_ Have a safe trip! _ **  
**_

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:45PM  
_ PAULAA  
THE CITYS AMAZING  
 _ **Ness has sent an attachment** **(1)  
**_

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:46PM  
_ OMG  
how was the trip? _ **  
**_

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:46PM  
_ its gucci  
im hungree tho

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:46PM  
_ YAY :D  
LOL did u eat a burger from the trash again

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:46PM  
_ WHAT  
I WOULD NEVER

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:47PM  
_ （ ÒㅅÓ)

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:47PM  
_ im sorriee

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:47PM_

{\\_/}  
( • . •)  
/ >🍔 u want trash burger?

{\\_/}  
( • . •)  
🍔< \ Too bad, its mine nao

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:47PM_  
NOO  
MY BURGER  
wait don't you have school rn?

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:48PM  
_ Yeah ;-;

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:48PM  
_ dont fail!

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:48PM  
_ I won't!  
i gtg rn but I'll call you later

 **Ness** ⦿ _today at 8:49PM  
_ I love u :D

 **Paula** ⦿ _today at 8:49PM  
_ Love u too :)

After the brief text to Paula, Ness spends rest of the night exploring the place, wiggling his toes, testing his powers. He feels weaker than usual. Sparking magic on his thumb, Ness wonders if that's also Master Hand's doing. Something about Smash City must nerf and equalize everyone on the same playing field.

Even with its state-of-the-art architecture, Smash Mansion's a maze of trippy floors. Ness races into one floor full of hot springs. There's another floor of nothing but toilets of different shapes and sizes. There's even a floor where up is down, and down is up, and Ness has to grip the handles of the chandelier to float the right way up.

Ness counts the stairs. He gives up after two thousand.

He gets no nightmares tonight.

Next morning, Ness flings his covers aside, ready and wide-eyed for orientation.

"Woah, steady there. You'll send someone flying," Captain Falcon says when Ness speedruns into the Cafeteria. Right on time. When Ness apologetically rubs the back of his head, Captain Falcon winks, gesturing at the feast of food with his cup of orange juice. "Orientation's just about to start. But you better grab some breakfast before Kirby inhales the whole thing."

Captain Falcon's premonition comes true. Ness has barely seated himself with a generous serving of bacon and eggs before Kirby sucks everything off the platters like the world's best vacuum cleaner. Dangerously cute and pink. Paula would love him.

Then Master Hand floats into the cafeteria with a greeting, and spouts out the itinerary for the day.

Ness sits up straight.

And so, training season begins.

There's one smash tournament hosted at the end of each year, solo, every man for himself. Final destination, five stocks, no items. Double elimination, double blind.

With training season so intense, Master Hand drops by with reminders. Every so often, he calls each fighter into his office for a wellness check. Other times, he passes by for breakfast.

Usually, the latter means trouble.

" **Good morning, fighters! Remember, watch where you're going. Two smashers suffered a near-collision last night-** **"** Master Hand sternly starts one breakfast, and scarfing down his bacon like a starved wolf, Ness barely hears him droning yet again about the rules. **"You should know per Rule Four-Hundred Twenty that there shall be no running permitted up or down the stairs** **-"**

"Of course," Mario agrees, giving Ness a look, and indignantly, Ness swallows down his mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"I swear, it's not me this time," Ness complains.

"Yeah relax, Mister Hand. I almost ran into Luigi up the second floor. _Almost_ ," Fox teases, leaning into the table. "Crisis averted. Now if it had been _Samus_ in my stead-"

"Can it, Fox. I'll three stock you on Final Destination."

Fox smirks. "You're on."

"... **Hmm**." With that petulant remark, Master Hand takes his leave.

Samus checks the time and groans, downing her second cup of coffee. "Come on, Ness. Unless you wanna skip warmups, we're due for a match in an hour. Try not to die on me, pal," she says, and Ness laughs.

It takes some time for Ness to get used to fighting in Lo-Grav, takes him time to get used to living so far away from home, but he's stubborn to learn, and quickly gets back into shape. Samus shows him how to do proper push-ups and sit-ups. Captain Falcon teaches him how to warm up before fights _(Ness learns the hard way in his first week, when he wakes up with cramps all over his back)._ Mario and Luigi go on search parties in the Mansion whenever he gets lost roaming the many halls. Ness revels in the adrenaline rush of a proper fight, learns to congratulate others for their win and sulk in private whenever he loses.

Master Hand charms his weapons. _**Unbreakable** ,_ he says, returning Ness's yo-yo and bat. How Master Hand does it, Ness has no idea, but he takes Master Hand's word for it.

Everyone in the roster has their own apartment on the tenth floor. Even Ness. Master Hand's trained the staff well, and Ness is treated just as graciously as everyone else, no exceptions. Ness is even branded a video game based on his adventure, and watches his sprite in amusement when he plays Earthbound after its official release.

...Though as the only minor in the roster, Ness has his own set of rules to follow. He's not allowed to join post-game parties. He has a midnight _curfew_ , of all things. No one's allowed in his apartment alone without the doors open, and Ness isn't allowed to sleep in someone else's room.

His mom doesn't let him star in any ads. Not until he's of age. She's adamant that he doesn't get sucked into the celeb business and get mixed up "with the wrong people."

Ness doesn't get it, but whatever.

Sometimes, he finds these rules a hassle, kinda pointless and stupid, but when he wakes up screaming in the middle of the night from another nightmare, his fingers shaking for the rotary phone, he's glad for the solitude.

Still, he's a damn good fighter for his age, and Ness knows it. It takes him a few weeks to get used to the fighting system, but slowly, he gets the hang of it. Mario warmly calls him a prodigy. Ness isn't sure what to think of Mario, still freezes up sometimes whenever they're in the same room together ( _Because it's only THE MARIO, only the most famous mascot and Master Hand's right hand man!)_ , but eventually, Ness decides he likes the man. He supposes this is what it's like to have an actual dad.

Bugged by this thought, Ness dials Dad again. No one picks up. Oh well. Ness disconnects the call. He wonders why he expected anything different from a dad who's practically a phone.

On the bright side, he learns how to swear from the rest of the roster, so there's that.

Nice.

Mario's unimpressed when Ness accidentally lets his first F-bomb slip in the middle of breakfast, but hey, Ness is cool, and all the cool teens swear. Unlike Giygas, a few curse words won't kill anyone.

There's just one thing that bothers him though. It really shouldn't, but it does.

Everyone calls him "kid."

Ness hates it. He's not twelve anymore, he's _thirteen_ , and he doesn't know why this bothers him.

Kid.

_Childish._

He wants to punch a wall.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_Ness defeats the Onett police. He tenses his stance, but clutching his bruised ribs with a wheeze, Captain Strong limps upright._

_Then laughs._

_He says Ness has done well. For a kid._

_Kid._

_Like his homeroom teacher whenever she called on him in class and he got a question wrong, and she'd look at him like he was the stupidest kid in town. Or like his mom's disappointed expression whenever he returned home with his report card for the semester._

_No adult ever seemed to think Ness would amount to anything._

**_Kid._ **

_Wiping his bleeding mouth with a sleeve, Ness silently stows away his bat._

_That's okay. He's not childish. He'll prove them all wrong._

_He's never gotten along with the Onett police anyway._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Come summer, exactly one year later, the week of N64 championships begins. The morning of, everyone is high-strung. Ness can tell. He's not sure if it's a 'psychic thing', but he can feel their tension, feel their nerves tighten on end like taut guitar strings.

In the warm up room of the underground arena, Samus polishes her blaster like an insatiable itch. Mario stretches his quads. Even comic relief Captain Falcon seems somber and serious under his mask. After what feels like an eternity, Master Hand announces Ness's name.

Gripping his magic bat, Ness saunters into the ring against his first opponent.

Ness places third.

His recovery failed, and at a such a crucial moment too. He remembers the audience's collective gasp when he miscalculates the trajectory of his PK Thunder and bumps straight off the stage. Like a dunce.

Ness is bummed out, but the feeling doesn't last long.

There's an award ceremony. Everyone on the roster hoists him up into the air like a champion, and loudly cheers him on when Master Hand calls his name for his medal. Bronze. Paula gets teary-eyed over videocall, and when Ness teases her for being starstruck, she sticks her tongue out. Reporters usher the top three contestants into the back for private interviews, and marvel over him as the youngest contestant in the history of the biggest interdimensional tournament in the galaxy.

Ness soaks up the attention like a sponge.

That's okay. He'll get that gold next time.

Then it's summer break. It's a no-brainer, and Ness signs a Leave of Absence. He's missed home, and he's missed his family and girlfriend.

Landing in the SkyTrain Station back in Onett, Ness touches down to a sea of reporters and fans. Fanboys crowd around him, thrusting their bats into his face and demanding him to sign their baseball merch. Fangirls scream his name, and one swoons and faints when he waves back.

If saving the world made him a celebrity, now as one of the Twelve, Ness returns pretty much a god.

Thankfully, his benefits come with bodyguard protection, and he's relieved to return home without a camera in sight. Mom hugs him tightly, and kisses him on the forehead, which is a bit embarrassing, and Ness is sorely glad for the lack of paparazzi. His little sister Tracy snorts and asks if his head could grow any bigger, and for that snarky comment, Ness tickles her to the floor.

At least the prize money means Dad's no longer in debt. But when Ness brings home the bronze trophy, Mom only pays off some of Aloysius's debt, then makes a separate bank account for Ness. A card under his name. To invest in his own future.

"In case you want to apply for college," she says earnestly, even though Ness doubts he'll ever study for school again. He doesn't have the heart to argue when he spots Mom fondly dusting the bronze trophy in his room.

Soon, Pokey's family moves out.

Ness is just glad that he no longer has to see Aloysius's ugly mug.

But the night before, Ness is sure to give Picky Minch his number. To call if he needed Ness's help for anything, no matter how small. When Picky smiles, and says he'll be all right, Ness's heart gives another pang of regret.

Ness couldn't help Pokey.

But he'll be damned if he can't at least help Pokey's younger brother.

That night in his Magicant, an uneasy Ness stirs in his sleep, tossing and turning in his bed. Ever present at his side like an ink drop, Ness's Nightmare quietly watches him. As if it were waiting for something. As if it were waiting for Ness to lower his guard.

Then the moving vans disappear the next day, leaving the windows in the Minch House forever dark and haunted.

They don't have neighbors anymore.

In contrast to the newfound tranquility, if dates with Paula were hard enough to hide from the press, they're flat-out impossible now. Wherever they go, fans flirt with Ness. Despite politely turning them all down, the girls stalk Ness wherever they go, throwing hot, jealous glances at Paula.

When one grows bold and makes a grab for Paula, Paula finally snaps. Beating Ness to it, she faces the unruly bunch, her hands erupting into flames. In the same tone she reserves for troublesome parents and Karens at Polestar Preschool, Paula tells the cowering girls to sod off. They get the hint, and slink away, sulking.

Ness is pretty damn proud of her for that.

Still, he leaves enough bodyguards at her house. Just in case.

Time flies. N64 blends into Melee, and all too soon, the new SMASH season opens up. When his month of summer vacation passes in the blink of an eye, Ness realizes all too late at the SkyTrain station- fuck. He _can't_ leave. It's embarrassing and silly, but he ends up crying into Mom's shoulder. Rubbing his back and stifling a laugh, she lets him stay home for longer. When she calls Master Hand, Master Hand understands, and generously tells Ness to take another month off.

_Childish._

Though the paparazzi gleefully snap up the emotional moment, the headlines are empathetic. Still, mortified by the articles and gossip magazines, Ness shuts himself indoors.

Paula coaxes him back out with kisses. They go on several dinner dates after that, even one at the Polestars' place. Both of Paula's parents are thrilled to see him again, and while Mr. Polestar sternly asks Ness about his "intentions with his daughter," Ness has a solid response planned. Fidgeting with his tie, Ness awaits judgement, but Mister Polestar seems satisfied by what he's heard.

"See, I told you - My parents already love you," Paula says enthusiastically when they cuddle later that night, when Ness abandons the living room couch and sneaks up to her bedroom. They share a few more firsts that day, and Ness makes Paula laugh when he warbles out her homework problems in a funny voice. Paula mentions something about frog dissections in her biology class ( _which Ness frankly has zero interest in, but pretends to care about because she does_ ), and they fall asleep, Ness's head on her shoulder.

They celebrate Ness's 14th birthday. Mom gifts Ness a new bag for all his junk. Paula gives Ness a new pair of shoes, and a soft dino plushie. He secretly loves her gifts, even though Tracy makes fun of him for still liking stuffed animals. Though Jeff is nowhere in sight ( _Tony phones in on Jeff's stead, something about family issues_ ), the even busier Poo manages to attend. He charms Ness's Sound Stone to tinkle like a music box whenever Ness touches it. Like a battery, it recharges his magic and changes colors with his emotions. When Ness throws himself onto him with an exclamation, Poo hugs him back, before also promising to teach him PK Starstorm.

They light his birthday cake, and Ness blows out all the candles.

For his birthday wish, he wishes to be happy, and for everyone around him to be happy as well.

Ness still isn't ready to leave, and neither is Paula nor his mom, but this is the future Ness signed up for. With a heavy heart, Ness watches their waving forms until the wormhole swallows up his SkyTrain. When he can't see them anymore, Ness kicks himself in the shins, and tells himself to get a grip.

In contrast to his first trip to Smash city, Ness is exhausted the second time round. He checks back into the Mansion, barely escaping from Tingle's admonitions thanks to a fellow fighter named Young Link.

But unlike last time, his moodiness stays.

Melee introduces more players, more than doubling the number of the roster from Twelve to Twenty-Six, even adding three more kids his age, but Ness isn't feeling it. He thought returning home would've cured his homesickness, but the break's made it worse. As a member of the original Twelve, almost as if he were a leader by default, the three kids flock over to him expecting his lead, but Ness can't cope, the pang of homesickness a constant pain in his side. The new kids are cool, but the Iceclimber couple remind him of Paula waiting back home, and Young Link's fairy companion - _Navi_ \- reminds Ness of the late Buzz Buzz.

He's not sure if he even dug Buzz Buzz a proper grave. The regrets threaten to swallow him whole.

Ness's Nightmare swells in size.

Even awake, Ness can feel it feeding on him. No matter how hard he fights back, new nightmares take its place, whispering doubts into his ears.

What was the saying? That old wounds leave scars or something?

His heart hurts.

His depression gets to such a critical point that Mario takes him aside, and tells him a secret: as a member of the Twelve, Ness is allowed to take multiple Leave of Absences. As long as Ness keeps up his performance, Master Hand won't put him on probation.

It does the trick. Ness returns home several times, visits Paula more often much to her surprise.

Except unlike the summer holidays, all Ness feels is stress. Everyone seems to be doing great with their own lives. Mom is granted a raise at her new accounting firm, Paula has started her second year of high school passing with flying colors on exams... hell, even _Tracy_ has gotten a promotion at her part-time job at Escargo.

Several days of this routine, Ness feels himself slipping behind. He's grown complacent, his ego big, and as much as he hates to admit it, Tracy's right.

He's meandering.

With his family barely home during the day, Ness ends up at the rollerblading alley, parkouring with all the kids who play hookie. The Sharks. As Ex-gang members, they teach him how to skateboard, and how to pull cool stunts on his bike. Later in the afternoon, Ness meets up Paula after dismissal. He carries her textbooks from school to the picnic table at the park, all gentlemanly as fuck like the perfect boyfriend, a crowd of Ness's fans and stalkers whispering and eyeing them jealously from behind the nearest tree. Then when evening falls, Ness walks Paula home, kisses her on her doorstep, and teleports home.

About two weeks of this routine, they have their first fight as a couple.

Paula has had enough. Putting her foot down, she says Ness's been clingy, and worries that Ness isn't taking his own future seriously. Ness promises he does, to which Paula tells him that she can't concentrate on her studies with him around, that she loves him and their dates, but his fans keep distracting her focus. When she further expresses her insecurities, Ness swears up and down that he's been faithful, to which Paula pointedly brings up Venus. Upset, Ness accuses her of being jealous, and Paula raises her voice that she's _not_ , she's just upset because it's exactly like that time Ness followed that hooker in Threed and got them kidnapped.

_(In Ness's defense, he didn't think the hooker looked hot - she just seemed suspicious. That's all. Seriously!)_

They leave the park early in a huff.

Ness still walks her home _,_ but Paula refuses to let him carry her books this time. Fine by him. Knocking over a lamp in his room from a clumsy teleport home, Ness flops into bed, and vents all his frustrations into his pillow. Venus is a _low_ blow. Sure Venus does things to his teenage brain that made him weak at the knees, but _Venus_ is a fantasy, and Ness loves _Paula._ Obviously when it came down to it, between the two of them, he'd pick Paula. Always. He wouldn't be dating her if he didn't like her!

_Childish._

Ness buries himself into his sheets. And wishes he could forget about today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References:
> 
> -The SkyTrain is a mode of interdimensional transport I made up in Through Thick and Thin. The prototype of timetravel/interdimensional travel, its engine is said to be patented by Dr Andonuts's Time Distorter.
> 
> -In MOTHER 2, Buzz Buzz is a timetraveler who warns Ness of his fate against Giygas, and bestows him the Sound Stone to collect the 8 melodies. He meets his fate in the hands of Lardna, Pokey's mother, who mistakes him for a dung beetle and smacks him. His "grave" can be found in Ness's Magicant, although I like to think that Ness never got to bury Buzz Buzz (hence the tombstone in his mind/Magicant, commemorating him).
> 
> -In MOTHER 2, Magicant (or "Your World") is a place Ness unlocks in his mind (after collecting the 8 melodies). In this fic, every psychic will have their own "Magicant," which will be a common plot setting for dreams/nightmares.
> 
> -In MOTHER 2, after collecting the 8 melodies from Ness's Sanctuaries with the Sound Stone, Ness has to fight his "Nightmare," which looks like an Academy Award statue. However, because it can use the same moves as Ness and is considered Ness's "embodiment of evil," it will take on Ness's appearance in this fic.
> 
> -In MOTHER 2, Ness's 8 Sanctuaries are Giant Step (Onett), Lilliput Steps (near Happy Happy Village/Twoson), Milky Well (Saturn Valley), Rainy Circle (Winters), Magnet Hill (Fourside), Pink Cloud (Dalaam), Lumine Hall (near Tenda Village), Fire Spring (Lost Underworld). In each of these sacred areas, Ness will collect a melody, and a childhood memory of himself.
> 
> -In Smash N64 (SSB), the stage "Final Destination" was also known as "Master Hand's Residence," and unavailable in Versus Mode without hacking.
> 
> -In Melee, Lucas was originally supposed to replace Ness (confirmed by Sakurai). This story will make a nod to that.

**Author's Note:**

> I think Ness is canonically 13 in Earthbound, but I tweaked his age in this fic as well. Here's a mental timeline so I can keep track of Ness's age throughout the story:  
> 12 - Starts events of EB  
> 13 - Starts N64  
> 14 - Starts Melee  
> 15 - Starts Smash  
> 16 - Starts Sm4sh  
> 17 - Starts Ultimate


End file.
